The No. 4 University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's volleyball team overcame a two-set deficit to defeat the Western Mustang 3-2 (20-25, 12-25, 25-18, 25-22, 15-9) on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 1) at Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport.
 
With the win, the Blues improve to 11-2 and remain in second place in the OUA East, four points behind the Ryerson Rams (13-2) with two games in hand.
 
TORONTO STATS: Fifth-year right side hitter Alina Dormann led all players with 15 points off of 10 kills, three blocks and two aces, while also notching 13 digs on the day.
 
Veteran left Caleigh Cruickshank notched 13 points off of a game-high 12 kills and one ace, and also had 12 digs. Third-year middle Jenna Woock also reached double-digit points with 10 off of seven kills, two blocks and one ace.
 
Sophomore left side Hope Kotun notched nine points and a career- and game-high 22 digs. Fourth-year libero Sophia Currier added 13 digs with Lidya Canturk tallying 32 assists in the win.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Blues got off to a slow start and trailed 4-0 in the early goings. Toronto rallied to even the set at 7-7 and Western held a narrow 16-14 lead at the technical timeout. The Mustangs edged forward to take the first set 25-20.
 
Western rode that momentum into the second set, building a decisive 16-6 advantage at the technical timeout. Toronto chipped away at the deficit but it was too little, too late in a 25-12 loss.
 
The Blues turned the tables in the third set, building a 16-6 at the technical timeout. Western rallied and went on a 5-2 streak out of the break, but the Blues stood strong and took the third, 25-18.
 
The fourth set was a back-and-forth affair with the Mustangs holding a narrow 16-15 lead at the tech timeout. The Blues trailed 21-19 but ended the set in thrilling fashion on a 6-1 run to force the fifth-and-deciding set.
 
With the fifth set even at 6-6, the Blues rattled off an 8-1 run and sealed the match, 15-9.
 
UP NEXT: U of T hosts the Windsor Lancers tomorrow (Feb. 2) at Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport. Opening serve is set for 1 p.m.
 
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